beauty in a wicked world.

Thunderheist. Another of my South by Southwest discoveries. How would I describe her? She is a bit reminiscent of Peaches, but she is black. Here is her latest video for "Jerk It."


thunderheist - jerk it from thatgo on Vimeo.

This was definitely the song of the weekend, especially at my Ring Dunk. How fast did I chug a pitcher of beer? 23.5 seconds. Get some.

Doves' new album, Kingdom of Rust, was released a couple of weeks ago. It is a great album. I wouldn't say it is their overall best, but it is very good. The video featured above is for their title track, "Kingdom of Rust". I can listen this song on repeat and never tire of it. Something I love about this album is that it goes in two directions: 1) They stayed true to their roots for some of their songs; very reminiscent of past albums. 2) The band took a stab at new styles. A few of the tracks have a more electronic feel (which is the escalating trend these days). No matter what, the lyrics and instrumentals have a strong sense of emotion and passion. Plus, any song that successfully features a string section is amazing in my book. If you've never listened to the Doves before, check out this song below as well, "Snowden."

Standing in a shaded bar, I patiently waited for Loney, Dear to finish their sound check. Honestly, I was just thinking about where I could find an open bar. As soon as the band struck its first chord, I was hooked. Apparently, Sweden has a plethora of musical talent. I finally got two of their albums, and I cannot stop listening to them. There is definitely a contrast between the latest, "Dear John", and "Loney, Noir". "Dear John" is much more dark and emotional. The instrumentals, the vocals, and the lyrics all have a very serious tone. "Loney, Noir", although not happy go lucky, gives more of a sense of optimism. I can appreciate both sides of the coin and both are wonderful. It is nice to see an artist not spit out a repeat of the previous album but with different lyrics.

Although South by Southwest was over two weeks ago, I can't help but talk about it. I left the city of Austin, TX feeling tired, but also in awe from all of the new music I found. That is the great thing about it. You can walk around downtown Austin looking for the band you were dying to see, yet you can stumble upon something you never would have expected. Pete and the Pirates (pictured), Beast from Montreal, Shout Out Out Out Out (no, that is not a typo), Tricky (reminds me of Portishead), K'Naan (reggae version of N.E.R.D.)...this list could go on. You can really see the passion in these artists' eyes. They haven't become jaded by fame and money. Their unfiltered passion for the art is what motivates them. This is what motivates me to work in the music industry. Behind closed doors, it is not a glamourous industry. You don't have to tell me twice. Giving courageous artists the chance to allow the public to enjoy something so personal: that is something worth fighting for.

Of course, SXSW also gives music-goers the chance to enjoy artists they wouldn't normally get a chance to see. Grizzly Bear is an amazing group. Standing three feet away from Ed Droste as he sang beautiful melodies: pricesless. Seeing Kanye West, Common, and Erykah Badu perform on one stage, together: When does that happen?

Until SXSW 2010...